Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-25
FREE FIGHT IN A CHURCH.
, Church Misunderstanding Culmin.
ates in Knock Outs.
.,Rrien Suffering From His Injuries-A
DIxabled Ocean Stoamer-A Case of
yitriol Throwing-A Nice Legal Point
About Fences, Etc.
FREE FIG 1T IN A CHURCH.
s..,ioner Leach Knocks out Two Baptist
Preachers.

Preachers.
New YORK, May 22.-The storm OF secte
raaes with unabated fury in Park Ridge
Bergen county, N. j. The Star printed on
Nav az account of the ignominious rott.
on egging of Rev. S. H. Switzer and Evan.
.Gst Mason in the academy where they
core holding Baptist service that con-
sisted OF indiscriminate abuse OF the rival
denomination, the Dutch Reformed Church
and now worse has occurred. Mr..
s,itzer went to Park Ridge seven years
o,o and organized the Berean Baptist
Church. His fervor and good work induced
= ,,mber OF people to let him douse them
u pascack Creek. His enemies said that
,n hswas a crank and ranter and that his
nLrrcb was composed OF his kind. These
.aUt,e comments did not heal the breach
Satween the two religious camps.
The Dutch Reformed Church had the
.ana, and the numbers, and gradually
NV switzers flock was pushed to the
man From the Leach chapel, whore their
ssrvices were first held, they were driven to
cook sanctuary in Park Ridge Academy.
Hsra thew held the fort for q time, and
Rev. Mr.. Switzer's invective grew more
witberipg, vehement and personal. Sud.
denly New York boarding house keeper
leased the academy for summer hotel,
and the Baptists were given notice to move
Out their fixtures. Before quitting the
renne of his turbulent labors, Mr.. Switzer
mnorted Evangelist Mason from Penn
sylyapia and the Widow Berry, q shouting
Methodist, to help him work the guns of
bigotry on the enemy.
Mason proved success, and stirred up
strife until it threatened violence. People |
from the Reformed Church came to hear |
him and made the ail lurid with boots and |
gibes. Mason picked out Rev. Edward |
Loederwick OF that church as target for
his abuse, and the latter's partisans swore |
horrible revenge on Mason. They took it |
on the occasion of Mr.. Switzers farewell |
service IN the Academy, when aged Jersey |
ecps flew in the air and pandemonium |
rsigned.
But Rev. Mr.. Switzer was not to be dis |
posed of so easily. He forthwith erected a |
tent opposite the First congregational
Church and continued his services with the
he]p of the hated Mason. Mr.. John Leach,
the Nassau street stationer, controls the
church property. Mason had made an
effort to secure the church for the religious
performances OF himself and Brother
Switzer. Mr.. Leach was inexorable, and
Mason thereupon pitched into him in
scandalous manner. Mr.. Leach heard OF
the attacks and determined to attend the
tent services to-day. He didn't know
what lively time he was gong to have.
Indeed it was SO lively that Mr.. Leach
did not come to town. He found a scat
fb,, ,lo@ A>1l /
Mason This is a sample OF what the lat
ter said referring to Stationer Leach:
I'm yonder mansion on the hill lives the
prince OF devils. He is here tonight. Glory
be to God! Right across the way he gath
ers the younger devils in every Sunday and
teaches them greater deviltry. His imps
are waiting outside for him to give the sig-
nal, but they cannot harm me, for l am
God"
Mr.. Mason added that Mr.. Loederwick
was "blear-eyed priest" and his congre'
CATION were ''idolaters."
Mr.. Leach rose with flushed face and de-
nonnced Mason as a "hypOcrite.
The latter retorted aburively, and Leach
made break for. him, catching the evan
'elst in the jugular with his right. Rev. Mr..
'witzer rushed to the rescue, and Leach
ook turn in his beard, and with tip
ent both the reverend gentlemen to the
loor The audience forgot all about the
and closed in on the combat
nts. Women raised piercing shrieks and
oys danced on benches with glee.
Citizens McCloskey and Atherton seized
witzer and Mason and hustled them into
he outer air. followed by the crowd. Mas
n, in abject terror, begged to be released.
D the confusion he got away from his
!ptors and sought refuge in the tent: Some
the audience struggled back and were
ldressed by Salvation Soldier Schoon-
aker. Mason attempted to make
atement, but was howled down. Some |
,dy rushed at him and jammed him into |
corner. He was warned never to speak |
Ridge Park again.
After the meeting Mason vowed he would
DID forth In spite of his prosecutors: The
aptsts have another service on Thurs |
ay evening, and more trouble is appre-
ended